"Based on our data, NVIDIA leveraging its expertise in the consumer 3D graphics market into industry leading workstation graphics solutions," said Jon Peddie, founder and president of Jon Peddie Associates, a leading market research firm specializing in graphics and multimedia. "This leading graphics technology from NVIDIA will deliver to OEMs and professional end users the best graphics solution available."

Previously, NVIDIA sold graphics chipsets to board manufacturers and PC OEMs. With this new product line, NVIDIA offers two complete workstation board solutions.

Features include four new campaigns encompassing over 250 scenarios and an additional 40 single and online scenarios. Branching scenarios will ensure that no two campaigns are the same. Also included will be a strategic map that enables people to blaze their own trail to Berlin or Moscow. More than 100 new 3D units are being implemented, including weapons from the Russian and Polish armies, as is a new overview map for better troop control. A Battle generator for creating random battles using American, British, German or Russian forces will also be featured.

It's been some time since Donkey Kong Country stormed the market with its combination of cute characters, addictive gameplay and absolute fun," comments Björn Larsson, Sales and Marketing Director of Iridon Interactive. "Now the platform genre, especially on the PC, is fairly vacant, and Akimbo is well timed to hit the market."

AKFH, which has been in production for more than 18 months, is a notoriously stylised title with leanings towards the 2D Donkey Kong format, but with plenty of its own exclusive distinguishing points and innovations. Offering large characters and loads of interaction with both cast and scenery, the game also has an endearing main character, Akimbo.

Set over a wealth of atmospheric locations, the emphasis has been on creating a careful balance between gameplay, fine hand-drawn visuals and a well planned learning curve that draws you back every time for just one more game. A platform challenge in the classic sense, Akimbo is an up-to-the-minute version of the loved school of ?gameplay first? games that are still so popular throughout the world.

The Story
Akimbo, renowned kung-fu hero discovers a note in a bottle washed up on the beach near his dojo. According to the message, an evil dragon named Fang has enslaved inhabitants of the peaceful Turtle Island. Using black magic, the beast has turned the natives into willing servants who obey his every command. Our hero must set out on the journey of a lifetime to save the people of Turtle Island from the clutches of the evil dragon!

The Task
Players must guide Akimbo across Turtle Island whilst collecting and assembling fragments of a magical spell that is required to beat Fang. Players will travel through six unique worlds, each with its own theme and filled with monsters, weapons and other collectable items.

Many levels have simple puzzles that players must solve before they can continue on their journey. Battle exquisitely rendered skeleton knights, ghosts, tarantulas, living trees, rhinos, seagulls and jumping clams.

The Moves
Any platform action game depends on smoothness and easy implementation of the moves available - and Akimbo is the slickest of the slick in this respect. Double jumps, punches, sidekicks, back flips, round house kicks, low kicks, spin downs, and jumping round kick combos will help you battle and puzzle your way through a wealth of colourful levels.

The Levels
The levels in AKFH are non-linear and are set in six different worlds, such as Caribbean Capers, Spooky Caverns, and The Lost Ruins to name a few. The game offers some intriguing and solid interaction with the scenario - like being able to drop drawbridges, move around up in the trees, climb ropes on fire, unlock mystical doors, be fired from cannons, ride giant turtles, and all that. The confrontations with enemies are kept simple and effective, with speed, dexterity and forward thinking the order of the day!

Akimbo: Kung-Fu Hero is scheduled for an October 2000 release in Europe, initially as a PC only title. Release dates for the rest of the world are pending.

"The level design is extremely linear in The Nightmare Child. Besides a few platform-like elements, each section features the sort of redundant switch and door-based puzzles that we've certainly become accustomed to in the past. The levels remain satisfying enough though due to the large number of enemies you'll face in a single area. They seem to be hiding around every possible corner and moments of silence will be few and far between."

Be sure to check out the rest of our KISS: Psycho Circus review including a full of visuals. Enjoy!

"Ok, let's start to pin point where Army Men: World War goes wrong. For starters, the graphics are completely outdated. This particular Army Men title takes place solely in the plastic world, as opposed to the human world, so the game has already lost what little charm it had to begin with."

Be sure to check out the rest of our Army Men: World War review including a toy truck full of visuals. Enjoy!

Engineer control panels, realistic weather and accurate terrain data will mirror real-world train travel. Activities will range from maintaining passenger time schedules while managing unforeseen barriers and negotiating freight through mountain passes in winter storms, to navigating some of the world's busiest commuter lines. People will be able to operate nine different trains, ranging from steam locomotives and modern diesels to high-speed electric bullet trains on six famous rail routes around the globe. These routes include both historic and modern rail operations.

Source: AVault

The agreement combines Star Wars, the most successful film-based license in interactive entertainment, with BioWare's considerable development expertise in the role playing genre. BioWare created the critical and commercial hit RPG Baldur's Gate. The Star Wars role playing game will be developed by BioWare and marketed and distributed by LucasArts.

For the game, LucasArts and BioWare are creating an entirely original storyline set some four thousand years before Star Wars: Episode I. The ancient era is dominated by an epic struggle between the Jedi and the evil Sith.

In addition to awesome gameplay and a host of technology features, Ozzy's first title will offer an intense Ozzy Osbourne soundtrack complete with dynamic music, and is slated to hit retail shelves in 2001.

An array of never-before-seen art including new in-game screen shots, scenes from the film sequences, high-res rendered art and more.

Exclusive info about all the new units and characters.

The story behind the Soviet's latest plan for world domination and the Allies' strategy to stop them.

A frequently updated news section that will keep fans up to date on everything Red Alert 2.

Discussion forums where fans can ask questions of the design team.

A download page with everything from movies to music. Future downloads will theme packs, interviews and music tracks.

Both sides are well-armed with conventional weapons and experimental technology. The Soviets can engage in psychic warfare, wield nuclear weapons and fry all they survey with Tesla technology. Allied forces can teleport with chrono technology, conduct covert operations with the help of gap generators, and rain down lightening bolts through weather control. Supporting these high-powered, advanced weapons are massive conventional forces, including armies, air power and navies.

Red Alert 2 will feature enhanced Local Area Network and Internet play. Players can engage in fierce combat over a LAN and battle via the Internet and Westwood Online. A built-in worldwide ranking system allows players to track their victories and defeats against other Internet gamers. The Worldwide Domination mode let's players compete in an ongoing war for global control.

"...but Toto, we ain?t in Kansas anymore, and those simple days are gone. Attributes and experience levels aren?t just for RPGs anymore, and button jamming isn?t just for shooters. It?s a topsy-turvy world out there in video game land, and while some of it is good, some of it is very, very bad."

Be sure to check out the rest of this fantastic editorial. Enjoy!

"Ok, so it isn't prize-winning material. It's your typical, 'save the universe from the bad guys' plot that we've seen hundreds of times before it. As I've already said though, arcade shooters aren't meant to be thick on plot, they're meant to be action-packed, adrenaline-pumping experiences. Bang! Gunship does well in that respect."

Be sure to check out the rest of our Bang! Gunship Elite review including a space ship full of visuals. Enjoy!

"When you jump into the world of Dracula: Resurrection, the first thing you'll notice is the incredible atmosphere portrayed via the use of jaw dropping visuals, haunting sound and spooky locales. The cut scenes are some of the best I've seen in an adventure game and are almost worth the price of admission in themselves."

Be sure to check out the rest of our Dracula: Resurrection review including a coffin full of visuals. Enjoy!